Starlight
by EMPG22HoPe
Summary: When one door closes another door opens. A coffee shop AU of Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini.


**Starlight  
** by _EMPG22HoPe_

* * *

 _You showed me something that I couldn't see  
You opened my eyes and you made me believe_

* * *

Daphne Greengrass has been waiting for three hours.

She knew Theo was a busy man, with his marketing work and all. But she at least hoped he'd make the effort of showing up on their make-up date. Their _umpteenth_ make-up date, that is.

Clad in her blue-green dress, Daphne sat impatiently inside the coffee shop she and Theo had said to meet at. All these make-up dates usually started with that very shop, and always ended with Daphne coming home alone. It was getting ridiculous.

Before she tried to pull her phone out for hundredth time that day to text Theo again, she heard someone speak to her.

"I hate to inform you of this, but I don't think whoever it is you're waiting for is going to show up."

Daphne's intention was to be snippy with whoever decided they knew better than her, but when she lifted her head to do just that—she couldn't form the words.

The man who spoke to her looked as though he had come out of a dream. He sported a grey and green uniform the barista's wore in the shop. He was dark-skinned, tall and remarkably handsome. His dark brown eyes glimmered with mirth as he towered above her, hands behind his back.

She felt as though her heart might burst out of her chest. Her sister Astoria had always told her that she fell in love too easily. Though she was not wrong, Daphne believed it was more than just that. It felt as though she had been destined to meet this man, despite how _destiny_ seemed a tad too naïve to most people.

"I, um…" Daphne said, dumbfounded; her mouth agape then for the briefest time before she shook herself out of her own reverie. "I was waiting for Theo."

The barista chortled. "Theodore Nott is of course an abomination."

Daphne blinked, still stricken by this dark knight in shining armor who decided she was worth his time. "How so?"

"I went to university with him," He shrugged nonchalantly. "He's not the brightest knife in the cupboard."

"Or the nicest, either," Daphne said with a sigh. She blew a stray strand of her golden hair out of the way. "Have you simply come here to gloat, Mister?"

"Mister!" The man released a string of laughter. "I'm the same age as you and Theo."

Daphne's cheeks turned red. "I meant to ask your name."

There was a sparkle in his eyes when he met her gaze.

"I'm Mister Zabini," He said jokingly. "But my first name's Blaise."

 _Blaise_. It was such an endearing name.

"Blaise," The way his name rolled off her tongue felt natural; comforting, even. She gave him her most charming smile. "I'm Daphne."

"I know." Blaise replied in amusement. He revealed one of the hands behind his back to produce a venti cup. "Caramel Macchiato with extra foam, is it?"

Daphne blinked at him. "I didn't order anything."

Blaise placed the steaming cup of coffee on her table. "My treat. And if you ever need to give me a call."

He twisted the cup to reveal his number, name and a smiley face written diagonally on the cup with a marker.

"Bold move," Daphne giggled as she took the cup from him. "Is this how you pick up pretty girls in coffee shops?"

"I've only ever done it once," Blaise winked at her before drawing back. A handsome grin graced his lips. "Call me when you're over that prat."

* * *

Daphne was over that prat. But she didn't call Blaise Zabini because she was scared to.

Normally, she would be bold enough to call a guy if they offered her their number. But there was something about Blaise that made her nervous. It was a good kind of nervous, if there ever was such a thing. He wasn't just _any_ guy to her.

She told Astoria about it, and the most her sister could advice her is to just see Blaise at the coffee shop again the next day. So that's exactly what she did.

Rain poured that Saturday morning on her way to the coffee shop. Daphne hid herself at a bakery, her lavender dress slightly damp from having been caught in the rain. She took shelter underneath the place's protruding roof. Her nerves were getting the best of her because the coffee shop was going to close soon, and it would be too late by the time she gets there in this weather.

Daphne was about to head into the fray of the rain, coat-less and umbrella-less, when she saw a familiar figure walk up to her.

Her luck turned around completely when she saw Blaise stop before her, a plastic bag full of groceries in hand. In his other hand was a large backpack that he was yet to shoulder. He was clad in a thick black cloak, looking every bit of handsome as ever.

"Well, this is interesting," Blaise announced amusedly, gracing her with that knicker-dropping smile of his. "I thought you'd call, but you supposed stalking would be much preferred?"

"Oh, don't flatter yourself!" Daphne answered a little too loudly due to her embarrassment. Her cheeks were the color of beets now. "I meant to go to the coffee shop to… well, you know… to see you. I wasn't following you. It was just a coincidence."

" _Destiny_ , some people might say." Blaise chuckled before he lifted his backpack, shouldering it on his right arm. "You know, I happen to have a spare coat in my pack. It's my roommate's, Draco's. Bloody fool misplaced it I'm afraid. It won't do him no good now. You can have it, if you want."

Daphne felt like falling over. He was a tease, but also a gentleman. That she can work with.

She braved him one of her charming smiles. "I'll take the coat if you take me out on a date."

Blaise grinned at her. Something about the way he looked at her made her less aware of her surroundings. Despite the cliché, she truly felt as though they were the only two people on earth in that moment.

"Deal."

* * *

Now clad in Blaise's roommate's coat, Daphne laughed merrily next to Blaise as he walked her back to her apartment. He was as charming as ever, even more when he spoke much about his family and his aspirations while they ate at a very modest restaurant.

A portion of their date was mostly talking about everything and nothing. The way they communicated was a little more special to Daphne. There was just something about him that felt right and real.

There was plenty to Blaise than meets the eye. She wondered why he never bothered to talk to her every time she went into that coffee shop to wait for bleeding Theodore Nott.

"I always saw you come in," Blaise answered her internal question as they rounded a corner of a street, nearing her apartment. "And I always made your order in the background while my mate, Draco, takes the orders ever so lazily."

"That was your roommate this whole time?" Daphne asked, looking every bit surprised. "He's not bad looking, isn't he? Say, does he happen to be single?"

Blaise laughed. "I hope you're not planning to go out on a date with him too."

"God, no!" Daphne waved the thought away with a dismissive hand as she laughed. "I meant for my sister, Astoria. She always did have a thing for blonds."

"I'll set him up with your sister, then." Blaise replied with a cheerful grin just as they arrived at the front steps of her apartment.

"Well, this is me." Daphne motioned towards the black lacquer door. "I had a really good time tonight."

"I surely hope you did. I thought I would have to beg for a second date." Blaise jested playfully.

Daphne drew closer towards him. Her green eyes fluttered at him alluringly. "You don't need to go down on your knees for it."

Blaise smirked down at her as his hands reached out to trace the length of her arms. He had the delicate touch of a lover's. He leaned forward to whisper against her ear.

"I could think of many reasons for me to go down on my knees for you."

A delightful shiver went down her spine. She drew her head back to meet his searing gaze. "Oh, do tell me—"

Before she could say much more, Blaise's lips crashed against hers. She wound her arms instinctively around his neck, and she angled her lips to deepen their kiss.

Daphne's body was aflame with desire and love. Yes, _love_. It was too soon to tell. Indeed, far too soon. But she knew her heart and knew it well. And she knew Blaise's name was written across it with every resonating beat.

They pulled apart. Their ragged breaths blew out steam from the cold of the evening. Their smiles were glowing as they met each other's gaze.

"Is your sister home?" Blaise asked in an uncharacteristically soft tone.

Daphne shook her head, still out of breath.

Blaise's lips curled suggestively. "Good."

His lips were on hers once more. And in that moment Daphne was certain. Certain of the beat of her heart as it raced at the thought of Blaise Zabini. Certain of _him_.

* * *

 **Prompt(s):**

 **Fanfiction Writing Month:** 1,570 words

 **Dragon Breeding Club:** Norwegian Ridgeback - Livia

 **Northern Hogwarts FunFair:** Kissing Booth: Easy - Daphne Greengrass with Blaise Zabini

 **Southern Hogwarts FunFair:** Hedge Maze: Southern Corner - (word) portion

 **Eastern Hogwarts FunFair:** Ferris Wheel #8 - (scenario) it's raining and I don't have my umbrella. It's a good thing you were walking by because you had a spare coat for some reason.

 **Fanfiction Resolutions Challenge**

13\. Write a cliche plot

14\. Write a meet-cute

 **Insane House Challenge**

563\. Plot Point - Being kissed unexpectedly, mid-sentence

 **365 Prompts Challenge**

319\. Title - Starlight

 **Writing Club**

5\. Love Is An Open Door - Write about love at first sight. ( _Disney Challenge: Songs_ )

Aiko: (word) sparkle, (word) dream, (dialogue) "I hate to inform you of this, but I don't think whoever it is you're waiting for is going to be showing up." ( _Book Club_ )

9\. Everybody Say Yeah - (word) Destiny

5\. "[character] of course is an abomination." ( _Count Your Buttons: Dialogues_ )

16\. Coffee-Shop!AU ( _Liza's Loves_ )

 **[Summer] Seasonal Challenge**

National Doughnut Day: Write a coffee shop!AU ( _Days of the Year_ )

Blue-Green ( _Seasonal - Colour Prompts_ )

Bold (Gryffindor Themed Prompts: Traits)

* * *

 **AN:** A modern take on Blaise and Daphne. Please R&R. :')

 _EMPG22HoPe_


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